yacht swan 55

• Yachting World
• Digital Edition

New yachts: Swan 58 and Swan 55

• July 29, 2021

Rupert Holmes reports on the recent announcement of the Swan 55 and the sea trials of the Swan 58, which was announced in 2020

Nautor’s is expanding at an enviable rate – turnover doubled between 2017 and 2019 and the company shows no sign of wanting to rein in its ambition, with around a dozen new models from 48ft-125ft announced in the past three years with the Swan 58 and Swan 55 the latest models.

The cancellation of last winter’s boat show season meant we were not able to see the Swan 58 at Boot Düsseldorf , but the first boat is now on the water and photos taken during sea trials show it to be another stunning model.

Images of the boat sailing upwind indicate it moving quickly, even relative to the long waterline, while maintaining a balanced helm.

The cockpit looks beautifully uncluttered, with a clear passage from the transom and helm stations to the companionway.

On the other hand some will be disappointed by the positioning of winches and clutches outboard of the cockpit benches, rather than inboard on pedestals ahead of the wheels.

Around the same time as the 58 hit the water, Nautor’s announced a new Swan 55. This will fit into an increasingly comprehensive range of Swan Line models, between the 48 and the 58.

The very secretive first shots of the Swan 55 released by Nautor’s

Like the new Swan 65 that was launched in 2019, the 55 is intended to be evocative of the original Sparkman & Stephens-designed Swan 55.

Although overshadowed by the success of the original 65, this was a superbly comfortable and capable boat in its day and the flagship of Nautor’s range when launched in 1970.

The company has yet to release full details of the new Swan 55, although we know it’s another twin rudder German Frers design, along similar beamy lines to the existing new generation boats.

However, it will also benefit from work Frers has done over the past couple of years in analysing optimal hull shapes using latest software tools.

He says the hull will have “a powerful back end that attains maximum sailing length and low resistance when heeled.” Bow sections are “well rounded transversely and have a sharp entry angle… favouring the sailing condition and comfortable ride when heeled.”

Two versions of the Swan 55 will be offered – a standard cruising model and a performance variant with a square-top mainsail. This will clearly be an attractive option for those planning to race the boat, whether in one of Nautor’s own events, or in iconic regattas and offshore races around the world.

The company understands, arguably better than any other yard, the importance in today’s market of delivering a compelling and unique experience to owners, rather than simply selling a physical product and its Nautor’s portfolio of events continues to strike a chord with owners both of new and older boats.

Update: The Swan 58 is due to make its public debut at the 2021 Cannes Yachting Festival .

Swan 58 specifications

Hull: length: 17.96m / 58ft 9in LWL: 17.09m / 56ft 0in Beam: 5.27m / 17ft 4in Draught: (standard): 2.70m / 8ft 10in Displacement: 24,700kg / 54,490kg Builder: nautorswan.com

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• A pure beauty in a modern, contemporary style.
• An outstanding and iconic design but following tradition, classic proportions and purpose low freeboards.
• A true cruiser with no compromise but capable of winning top races: a real traditional dual-purpose Swan.
• Sturdy, reliable and durable construction, renowned Finnish quality.
• Easy to manage and to handle, problem free.
• Exclusive interior layout with several different proposals for cabins, heads and nav station.
• Mood concept for interior and style.
• Personalization philosophy: numerous proposals for layout and style, rich optional equipment list for personalization.

The New Swan 55 represents over 50 years of evolution since the first Swan 55 was designed by Sparkman and Stephens in 1970. This was a legendary model which paved the way to the Swan 57 launched in 1977, Swan 53 designed by Maestro Germàn Frers and followed by Swan 56 in 1997, the Swan 53 in 2005. The evolution of the 2021 Swan 55 is sure to write another page in the history of Nautor’s Swan, based on the pillars rooted in Swan DNA: Elegance, Quality, Performance and Reliability.

Design by Germàn Frers

This latest iteration of the Swan 55 model line represents a new generation of hull design developed over the past couple of years with the assistance of tools available today to study the behavior of the canoe body in all sailing conditions.

These hulls with a power back end that attain maximum sailing length and low resistance while heeled thus the lowest possible displacement/ length ratio and they provide excellent balance through the range of heels angels in combination with the well proven twin rudder set up.

When designing the bow sections which are well rounded transversally and have a sharp entry angle, we have favored the sailing condition and comfortable ride when heeled.

The hull displacement is the result of a thorough study of weight and the position of the equipment onboard. These boats need to carry a fair amount of equipment for the comfort of the people living and enjoying life on board. However, the speed will be very good all around.

She will be a pleasant yacht to sail, both easy to handle and cruise in its standard version and race in its performance set-up version, which includes a square top mainsail and a bowsprit fir the light weather and download salis.

The Deck is the most important rea on a sailing yacht- the place for controlling the yacht at sea as well as relaxing at anchor or in a harbour, for enjoying the fun of sailing in pleasant weather and also conquering thrilling heavy storms while remaining safe and sheltered.

Swans have always been designed taking the deck and its organization into a great account.

From the very first yacht in the 60’s every Swan has a deck optimizes in every detail for efficient, safe and enjoyable sailing and living aboard in great comfort, be it under way,

At anchor or in marinas. Today our yachts show a hallmark deck organization, with well separated areas for handling boat while sailing and living comfortably in all possible situations, be it sunbathing, dining or swimming. Great care is also given to proper protection both from adverse weather and from sun with well-designed sprayhoods, Biminis and awnings.

The new Swan 55 is perfectly in line with this ethos, adding in some new innovations that enchance livability still further in the cockpit and transom areas, like the “transformer” tablesOr the extra-long swimming platform, an exclusive new feature on a yacht of this size, which enhances the livability of this area, resulting in a proper beach area derived from superyachts. Shorthanded cruising is facilitated by five equally specified winches, all electric as standard, positioned to allow a single crew member to handle the boat alone. The hallmark design of the coamings protecting the benches results is an extra-wide cockpit area, where the twin “transformer” tables offer a variety of setups, from lunch to sunbathing to “pouffe”

Position. Ahead of the mast, a wide sunbathing area integrated into the coach roof offers the proper shape for the self-tracking track, designed for the staysail but suitable for the jib as well. More forward, a large, deep locker is dedicated to sail and voluminous gear storage.

The main features include:

• The innovative double -acting transom(opt), exclusive Nautor design, results in a maxi-style beach area and simplifies the tender storage operations into the garage.
• The coamings widen towards the stern to increase the space for winches and jammers as well as to get more space in the cockpit.
• The full height sail locker provides for storage of downwind sails, as well as staysail, complete with furlers and anti-torsional cable. The chain box is located as aft as possible, to brings loads away from the end of the boat.
• The front part of the coach roof can accommodate extra-large sin bathing cushions. As well as the optional self-tacking track. An extra hatch can be opened over the owner’s berth.
• The exclusive double” transformer “cockpit tables can be organized in multiple configurations, from sailing to dining to extra -large dining to sunbathing and, finally to pouffe set up.
• The five winches are electricity powered as standard and equal size to allow functional redundancy and cross-sheeting. The main sheet can be on a captive winch as an option.

In line with her sisters, the Swan 55 interiors represent a refined luxury, typical of Nautor’s renowned Finnish craftsmanship.

The interior has been designed having in mind maximum comfort for long periods, both under sail and at anchor.The new Swan 55 offers an exclusive layout with three comfortable double cabins with two heads, complete with separate shower compartments (a third head is optional).The saloon and gallery are designed for maximum livability and social interaction but also to be functional and practical while under sail. The organization of the spaces allows an additional utility cabin dedicated to storage or this can be converted into a crew cabin with an enclosed head and a sink. The saloon has a C-shaped sofa with central table to port while the starboard area including the chart can be configured into three different layouts according to the owner’s needs. This whole general arrangement provides a very convivial and friendly feel to live aboard the yacht below decks.

The gallery, following the latest layouts of Swan 48 and Swan 58, offers domestic-like amenities, including top-level appliances, comfort and generous storage places. Many options are offered for the cabin layout, in order to fulfil different owners needs and to allow proper personalization of the yacht.The natural light coming in from the hull windows and plentiful overhead hatches gives great energy and luminosity inside the space.

Moods by Misa Poggi

“A blue water yacht with an exclusive layout is born. Three cabins, two heads and a “stock” cabin to be used according to the owner’s needs. A layout allowing great comfort for long periods of ocean navigation. The design matches with the materials. Those chosen for the Swan 55, have been selected to be aligned with life onboard and mirror a perfect home-lifestyle, practical, pleasant, comfortable and durable.

Four essentials elements that need to coexist at sea.

Particularly balanced colors and finishes to expand spaces and create an environment of super comfort. The moods have been designed to respond to the tastes of different types of customers, from the most classic to the most “extravagant” but always maintaining the style and the elegant standard of a Swan. For the internal finishes of the bulkheads, the wainscot style is proposed among other options as an homage to the historical seafaring tradition obviously respecting Swan safety and practicality.

For style and finishing the new Swan 55 features four different moods: Swan Soul which embodies the typical Swan ambiance, Sandi Vision for a more Northern atmosphere, Velvet Vibe for a more passionate and strong taste and blue Genoa paying homage to the colours of the ocean and more traditional seafaring.

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• Digital edition

Golden Galiana: the Swan 55 preparing to race around the world

• Katy Stickland
• December 12, 2022

Katy Stickland sails the Swan 55 Galiana in Helsinki and meets the Finnish crew and her skipper, as the boat is prepared for the 2023 Ocean Globe Race

Galiana romps along like a thoroughbred racehorse, her new white hull gleams under the Baltic sunshine as she cuts through the waves cleanly, leaving foaming sea in her wake on our voyage from Kajholmen island back to her home port in Helsinki.

This most classic of Swans is almost spiritual to sail; you are almost overwhelmed by her beauty and performance, especially upwind.

If you were not converted to Swans before, you certainly are after a few hours of sailing in the Gulf of Finland.

Designed by the pen of Olin Stephens, the Swan 55 was first launched in 1969. Galiana was built in 1970.

Initially called Barbarossa , and sporting a red hull, she sailed for two seasons in the UK before being sold.

Galiana will be sailing in the Adventure Class in the 2023 Ocean Globe Race for yachts between 47ft-56ft. Credit: Ville Norra

Her name changed to Asia, and then Golden Aura before the yacht ended up in the United States of America; 23 years ago British sailor Patrick Green bought her and returned her to the UK, where she was renamed Galiana and used for chartering and racing alongside her sistership, Valhalla .

Galiana was up for sale just as Finnish skipper Tapio Lehtinen was coming to the end of his 2018 Golden Globe Race .

After 322 days alone at sea, he was already thinking about what to do next.

Race chairman Don McIntyre told him about the Ocean Globe Race , a retro Whitbread Round the World race that he was planning for 2023, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first Whitbread.

Would he be interested in leading a crew in the Adventure Class? If so, there was a Swan 55 for sale.

‘I didn’t need to look at any other alternatives. I have been dreaming of a Swan 55 yawl since my teenage years. I’ve always been a big Olin Stephens fan and this 55 is the classiest and most beautiful Swan Nautor’s has ever built,’ explains the 64-year-old lifelong sailor, who sailed the yacht back to Finland in the autumn of 2019.

Gorgeous Galiana

Galiana is certainly a head turner. Her blue hull is now white with a golden stripe, her deck has been recaulked and sanded and the king plank, toe rails and hatch coamings have been varnished. The chrome sparkles, polished to perfection.

‘It’s the combination of aesthetics, seaworthiness and speed. Swedish boat designer Olle Enderlein worked at Stephens’ office in his younger years in the 50s. He is quoted as saying: “Beautiful boats sail well’, and I think he learnt the philosophy from Olin Stephens. I totally agree,’ said Lehtinen.

The Swan 55 is firmly from the golden age of yachting and owes more than a passing nod to the International 6 Metre class, Finland’s most popular classic racing yacht.

Viivi Moisio, 19, is a sail maker and one of three women on the team. Credit: Niklas Sandstrom

The original lines of the first of Stephens’ yawls came from Dorade , his breakthrough boat in 1929 which won the 1931 Transatlantic Race and started an era where Stephens’ yawls did very well racing under the Cruising Club of America (CCA) and Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) rules on both sides of the Atlantic .

‘ Dorade is actually a scaled up International 6 Metre, and Olin and Rod Stephens learnt to sail onboard an International 6 Metre on Long Island Sound in the 1920s. Dorade was his design number six and among the five first ones, there were two or three 6 Metres already, so he understood the idea of the International boats which are narrow and sleek and go very well upwind. He made that his philosophy for offshore sailing boats which revolutionised the design of offshore sailing boats in the 1930s,’ explained Lehtinen, who sailed the 1936 Tore Holm 6 Metre, May Be IV for 35 years; she is now for sale to fund his racing ambitions.

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A new generation

Much of the hard work to refit Galiana is being done by her Ocean Globe Race team; it is not unknown for them to work into the early hours of the morning during the summer, making most of the light to get projects completed on time, although you will never hear any complaints.

Unlike other race entries which are selling berths on legs, Lehtinen decided to put together a team of young Finnish sailors.

Out of 105 applications, 55 sailors were initially chosen. After a season of sailing in the Gulf of Finland, this was whittled down to 18 sailors and then just 10; their average age is 24.

Lehtinen will also circumnavigate with offshore sailor and youth sailing proponent Pia Grönblom, 49, who is also a certified nurse, and experienced seaman and Six Metre sailor Ville Norra, 50, Galiana ’s first mate.

The team spent a week in Lapland in March to prepare for the rigours of the Southern Ocean , skiing during the day to a new location and sleeping under canvas at night. There are also regular gym sessions, as well as sailing.

Galiana ‘s team are doing nearly all of the refit work on the yacht themselves. Credit: Juhani Niiranen/HS

Viivi Moisio,19, is one of three women on the team, and is the second youngest member.

‘When I started on Galiana I didn’t have much experience of big boats because I started sailing on Optimists, so I’ve learned a lot. We came back a stronger team after Lapland, and being immersed in nature. I feel more prepared for what lies ahead,’ she said.

Mauri De Meulder, 25, is studying environmental economics at Helsinki University, and was one of the first to apply for a place on Galiana’ s team.

‘The best part is the team spirit we have. I love sailing of course, whether I do it solo or with others, but it is always special when you have a good team with you,’ he said.

For Lehtinen, the most important criteria for crew selection was ‘attitude, attitude and attitude’.

Tapio Lehtinen shows off the Ocean Globe Race 2023 trophy to young dinghy sailors at the Helsingfors Segelsällskap. Credit: Katy Stickland

Only two members of the team have ‘strong racing DNA’, while the others come from Optimist, Sea Scout or other sailing backgrounds.

‘I am a fan of Churchill, who is famous for advising young soldiers on their way to the Front to ‘Never give up, Never give up. Never give up’. I think that’s the most important thing, but it is also important to be social. The Three Musketeers’ principle, ‘One for all, and all for one’ is very central. You have to be loyal and you have to help others to succeed. You need to be a team player,’ he said.

Lehtinen was just 23 and a student when he earned a place as watch captain on the 1981-82 Whitbread boat, Skopbank Finland, a C&C Baltic 51 skippered by Kenneth Gahmberg.

‘The Gahmberg family gave the possibility for a group of young sailors to get into ocean racing and I think now it’s my turn to return the favour to the next generation, and give back to the sport,’ he said. He hopes some of the young crew on Galiana will also do the same in the future.

Fit for fight

While Lehtinen has actively been part of the team’s training, he also allows them to take the initiative.

‘I think the best way to train is to let them sail by themselves, and I only interfere when I feel that it’s needed. They are smart people who are actively developing the way that we sail the boat,’ he said.

Tapio Lehtinen was watch captain aboard Skopbank of Finland in the 1981–82 Whitbread Race. Credit: Ajax News and Feature Service/Alamy Stock Photo

Further work on the Swan 55 will include fitting new, stronger masts to make the ‘rig bullet proof’ in a knockdown , the finish of an interior refit designed for Southern Ocean conditions, and a new durable wardrobe of WB Sails.

Under race rules, teams sailing a ketch or yawl are allowed only 13 sails which can’t be changed during stopovers, part of the organisers efforts to make the race as sustainable as possible.

Galiana will sail with three furling headsails in front of the mast and then a fully battened main and mizzen sail.

Lehtinen has already sailed around the world nonstop on his 2018 Golden Globe yacht, the Benello Gaia 36, Asteria. The boat had a fully battened mainsail. He opted to have the same on Galiana due to ‘the durability of these types of sails.’

‘We are having three furling headsails partly for safety, but it’s also to shift gears more easily when the conditions change. Instead of needing to change from one genoa to another, we will just play with the furlers so we won’t be losing time, but we also minimise the risk of losing people, because most of the people who have been lost over the side have been lost from front of the mast changing headsails,’ noted Lehtinen.

Galiana ’s crew were at the start line of the 2022 Golden Globe Race to support their skipper, Tapio Lehtinen. His race ended 450 miles off South Africa, when his Gaia 36 sank. Lehtinen was rescued. Credit: Etienne Messiommer/GGR

During the 2018 Golden Globe Race, Lehtinen couldn’t help noticing how the amount of sealife has diminished during the four decades after his first circumnavigation in the 1981 Whitbread race.

‘There are lot less birds, whales and sea mammals to be seen,’ he noted. This has been caused by fish stocks crashing due to over fishing and the acidification of the seas as a result of climate change ; scientists believe there are 40% fewer fish in the oceans today than there were in the 1980s.

Consequently, Lehtinen has decided to team up with companies which are part of the solution in the transition towards a carbon neutral circular economy.

“I fully understand the rage of the young asking our generation why we haven’t acted in time. I see my role as increasing awareness of the solutions. If companies, regardless of their field, are innovative and take responsibility for sustainability, we can tackle the challenges. Another of my favourite UK Prime Ministers of mine was Maggie Thatcher, who used to say: “If there is a will, there is a way!”.

Tapio Lehtinen has raced yachts for three decades. Credit:Jessie Martin/PPL/GGR

Lehtinen’s main Golden Globe Race sponsor is 3stepIT, which provides life circle IT hardware for companies, putting sustainability into practice.

‘We need and we can take action to save the planet and hand it over to next generations in such a condition that also they can enjoy of sailing and of the oceans,’ said Lehtinen.

He hopes his team will bond with Galiana as much as he has.

‘I feel very familiar sailing Asteria and Galiana , they feel like 6 Metre boats and it is almost a physical enjoyment to feel Galiana move and to steer her through the waves; I feel part of the boat.’

Team Tapio Lehtinen Sailing may not have the fastest boat in the Ocean Globe Race’s Adventure class, but with a team this committed and eager, their progress will be compulsive following when the race starts in September 2023.

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Swan 55, the new blue water (17m) comfortable cruising and fast racing

• July 22, 2022
• No Comments

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The new Swan 55 (17.75 x 5.00 m), which we will see for the first time at Cannes (Sept. 6-11) and which replaces the Swan 54, comes to market with the ambitious goal of condensing all of Nautor’s experience in this market segment.

A “multipurpose” bluewater boat that can provide maximum comfort when cruising and performance when you want to go harder. All wrapped up in an elegant object (guaranteed by German Frers’ design) with the absolute build quality that has always characterized Swans.

The Swan 55 is at its best when sailing slightly heeled , as you will read and has a deck full of interesting solutions. The interiors, designed by Genovese architect Misa Poggi, are designed to maximize comfort, especially for those living on board for long periods.

Swan 55 – Comfort and Performance

Experience, we said. In the 55-foot segment, the Finnish (Italian-run) shipyard has plenty to spare. The new Swan 55 represents more than 50 years of evolution from the first Swan 55 designed by Sparkman and Stephens in 1970. A legendary model that paved the way for the Swan 57 launched in 1977. Then to the Swan 53 designed by Germán Frers, then followed by the Swan 56 in 1997 and the Swan 53 in 2005.

Swan 55 – Project

Who can speak better about the design of the new Swan 55 than its designer? Here’s what German Frers says : “The Swan 55 represents a new generation of hull design, developed over the past two years with the help of the tools available today to study hull behavior in all sailing conditions .

These are hulls with a “powerful” aft part that achieve maximum sailing length and low drag during heeling, with the lowest possible displacement-to-length ratio. In addition, they provide excellent balance in the various ranges of skidding angles, in combination with the proven double blade system of the rudder.”

Frers continues, “ In designing the bow sections, which are well rounded transversely and have an acute angle of entry, we favored ease of steering when heeling . The displacement of the hull (22,450 kg the light one) is the result of a thorough study of the weight and position of on-board equipment .

Boats like the Swan 55 must carry a fair amount of equipment for the comfort of the people who live and enjoy life aboard .

However, Frers guarantees, “ the speed will be very good . A pleasant boat to sail, both easy to handle and sail in the standard version and to “run” in the performance trim version, which features a square top mainsail and bowsprit (in place of the integrated dolphin guard that doubles as an anchor nose) for Code Zero and asymmetrical type sails .”

Swan 55 – Keel

Under the hull, they are as many as four keel options from which you can choose: there is the standard version, with a draft of 2.50 m (in which one-third of the boat’s weight is concentrated, ballast-wise: 7,530 kg), and the short “shoal” version, which draws 2.10 m. In the “performance” version, there is the option of having it 3.40 m (this provides excellent upwind performance) and, finally, there is the telescopic version that allows the draft to be varied from 2.85 to 2 m (perfect in shallow water and for sailing at the breakwaters).

Swan 55 – Exterior

Swans have always been designed with great consideration for the deck and its organization, and the Swan 55 is no exception, with well-separated areas for managing the boat while sailing and living comfortably in all possible situations, whether sunbathing, dining or swimming.

The new Swan 55 brings some innovations that further improve livability in the cockpit and transom areas, such as “transformer” tables or the extralong bathing platform , an exclusive innovation for a yacht of this size, which increases the livability of the aft area, creating a true beach area derived from the world of superyachts.

On the Swan 55, “relaxed” sailing is facilitated by five equally specific winches, all electric as standard, positioned so that one crew member can manage the boat alone . The sides of the deckhouse that continue into the guardrails that protect the benches results in a very large cockpit area, where twin “transformer” tables offer a variety of configurations, from dining to sunbathing to the “pouf” position.

In front of the mast, a large sunbathing area integrated into the forward part of the deckhouse provides the right shape for the self-tacking trolley, designed for foresail but also suitable for jib. Further forward, a deep locker is dedicated to sail storage.

Swan 55 – Interior

The interior of the Swan 55, whose brightness is ensured by numerous windows, is designed to ensure maximum comfort for long periods , both when sailing and when at anchor.

In terms of cabin layout, the standard version has two double double cabins (the master in the bow and the second one between the master and the saloon, on the port side) and a cabin with “twin” beds (ideal for guests and children) located aft, on the starboard side: all have a dedicated bathroom and shower stall. There is also the option of having the master stateroom in the stern and the “twin” stateroom in the bow with V-beds.

In the saloon, to the left, is the spacious galley, which follows the latest layouts of the Swan 48 and Swan 58 and offers domestic-type amenities, including high-end appliances, and generous storage space. The organization of space allows for an additional service cabin dedicated to stowage, or to be converted into a crew cabin.

The saloon has a C-shaped sofa with a center table to port, while the starboard area, including the chart table, can be configured in three different layouts. The cabin layout offers numerous configuration options to meet the needs of different owners and allow for appropriate customization of the boat.

Swan 55 – Interior design

Here is what Misa Poggi, interior designer of the Swan 55, says: “ Interior design matches the materials . Those chosen for the Swan 55 were selected to be in line with life on board and reflect a perfect home lifestyle–practical, pleasant, comfortable and durable. Four essential elements that must coexist at sea.

The various “moods” of finishes and colors, which allow for customization of the interior, “have been designed to meet the tastes of different types of customers, from the most classic to the “extravagant,” but always maintaining the elegant style and standard of a Swan . For the interior bulkhead trim, the wainscot style is proposed, among other options, as a tribute to the historic seafaring tradition…while of course respecting Swan safety and practicality .”

In terms of style and finish, the new Swan 55 features four different moods: Swan Soul embodying the typical Swan environment, Scandi Vision For a lighter, more Nordic atmosphere, Blue Genoa which pays homage to the colors of the ocean and seafaring tradition, and the special Velvet Vibe , warm and colorful like a Mediterranean sunset.

Swan 55 – Data Sheet

Overall length 17.75 m Hull length 16.60 m Length at waterline 15.78 m Maximum beam 5.00 m Standard keel draft 2.50 m Short keel draft 2.10 m Long keel draft 3.40 m Telescopic keel draft 2.00/2.85 m Light displacement 22,450 kg Ballast (standard keel) 7,530 kg Yanmar 81 hp standard engine Sail area mainsail 95.11 sqm Jib sail area 80.15 square meters Gennaker sail area 275 sqm Diesel fuel capacity 800 l Freshwater capacity 600 l German Frers Project Nautor’s Swan Construction Interior design Misa Poggi

• Learn more about the new Swan
• Discover the Swan range at the Milan Yachting Week booth

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Nautor Swan 55, INDIGO

Nautor Swan, Nautor Swan 55 Built 1994 / €545,000, VAT paid

Broker’s Comments

The Nautor Swan 55 is a breakaway design for Nautor. She is a yacht dedicated to cruising with a vast centre cockpit for comfort and safety. Rig and deck plan are designed to facilitate short-handed use. The engine is the most powerful ever installed as standard in a Swan of this size and is situated in a walk-in engine room together with a generator. INDIGO has many refinements for added comfort and ease of handing.

Completed in 1994, INDIGO was shipped from Finland to Palma de Mallorca and commissioned in May 1994. She has since been based in Mallorca and has been utilized for family sailing, both by her original owners. She was sold to the present owner in 2004.

INDIGO is extremely well equipped and in excellent condition. Particular features include a dark blue hull with white cove stripe, hydraulic furling rig, hydraulic winches, hydraulic opening transom with swim ladder/platform, bowthruster, air conditioning, nearly new sail wardrobe and much more.

INDIGO offers a twin berth in the owner cabin, two guest cabins (one double and one twin) and a crew cabin forward. Always skipper maintained to a high standard. Excellent condition.

Owner’s Comments

To cut a long story short:

We actually don’t want to sell our ship INDIGO, affectionately called “Our Old Girl”, but we have sailed for 50 years – first in the north of Europe and then since 2004 with INDIGO mainly in the Balearic Islands/Mediterranean area. Now a different phase of life begins.

When we had time, between business and work, we sailed to romantic bays and discovered Menorca and Ibiza.

We sailed safely with INDIGO all over the Mediterranean and have never regretted buying this beautiful fully equipped Swan yacht. We had so much fun and inspiration that we were sometimes a bit faster than larger boats. INDIGO is a dream to sail.

But now it’s time to say goodbye and hand over INDIGO to younger, sailing-enthusiastic hands.

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Yacht Details

• Builder: Nautor Swan
• Model: Nautor Swan 55
• Yacht Name: INDIGO
• Hull Designer: German Frers
• Year Built: 1994
• LOA: 57´4” / 17.49m
• LWL: 42´10” / 13.07m
• Beam: 15´11” / 4.85m
• Min Draft / Max Draft: 8´6” / 2.60m
• Displacement: 23,600kg / 52,030lb
• Berths: 8 berths in 4 cabin(s) / 3 head/WC(s)
• Engine Count: 1 Perkins 4 M135 (116hp) Diesel
• Country: Palma de Mallorca, Spain
• Asking Price: €545,000, VAT paid

Contact Details

Simon Turner Berthon Spain Tel: 0034 639 701 234 E-Mail: [email protected] Click image for full broker profile.

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Fast, safe, easy to control and comfortable at sea: Milling of the Swan 78 deck

Yachts division

Nautor swan is continuously raising the stakes in building new models and push its boundaries, meeting its customers’ needs and fulfilling the expectations of the market with seaworthy, elegant, performing and timeless yachts..

The Swan Yachts division represents heritage, handcraftsmanship, products characterized by elegant and timeless lines that have made Nautor Swan an icon in the sailing world. The yachts are reliable against the sea hardships and the performing hulls guarantee both comfort and competitiveness during regattas. The design team is led by German Frers the renowned Argentinean yacht designer who started working with Nautor in the 80s.

The history of Swan Maxis begins early on, a few years after the establishment of Nautor. An expert client asked for a 17m Sparkman & Stephens. It was the year 1970, and the magnificent Swan 55 took shape. At the time, it was one of the largest yachts in the world to be produced in series and in fiberglass.

The Swan Maxi, from 88 to 128 feet, offers the highest expression of seaworthiness in any conditions combined with elegance, comfort, performance, style and modernity. The world class designers behind these beautiful yachts are Maestro Germàn Frers and for the interior design, Misa Poggi, while from the launch of the latest projects, the exterior design sees the addition of Lucio Micheletti’s pen to the team.

With the launch of ClubSwan yachts, Nautor marks the beginning of a new chapter in the Finnish boat builders’ remarkable history. ClubSwan Yachts is the high-performance division of Nautor Swan, offering a conceptual vision with the accent firmly upon the values of speed, technology and competitive sailing potential. Innovative solutions focused upon maximising these qualities are at the heart of ClubSwan Yacht development. The designer is Juan Kouyoumdijan, the French-Argentinean naval architect specialised in ocean racing yachts.

Born from the passion that Leonardo Ferragamo has for the marine world, the Swan Shadow is broadening the range of vassels the Finnish yard offers to its customers, perfectly aligned with the core elements of it brand DNA: Performance, Quality, Elegance. The three models are marking the completion of the Nautor Swan portfolio and product line up with three multipurpose motor yacht concepts able to meet Nautor’s customer needs.

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Moscow City Ballet is one of the world’s most prestigious touring ballet companies. We showcase some of the greatest productions of the Russian and Soviet ballet heritage, from the classics, such as The Swan Lake and the Giselle to the children’s favourites, such as The Nutcracker and Cinderella. We keep the magic going!

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Bears ride a pedalo after safari park floods

Bears at a safari park have been spotted enjoying a ride on a pedalo after heavy rain created a temporary lake.

After the pond formed in the black bear enclosure at Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire, staff decided to take advantage of the new terrain. They borrowed a swan-shaped pedalo and left it by the edge of the water – and the bears didn’t take long to investigate.

One by one, the group of bears – also known as a sleuth – began to climb into the boat as it floated until all four seats were taken.

“There’s been so much wet weather this year that a new mini lake has formed in the black bears drive-through at Woburn Safari Park, so we had the idea of turning this into interesting enrichment for them,” said Tommy Babington, deputy head of the carnivores section at Woburn Safari Park .

“The sleuth of bears was immediately intrigued by their new neighbour and wasted no time in investigating the swan peddle boat.”

North American black bears require lots of stimulation and opportunities for play – especially entering the summer months, when they are most active.

The park is home to adult male Chuck as well as three females named Indiana, Phoenix, and Dixie. The sleuth also includes juvenile male Koda, and females Georgia and Denver.

“It was great fun for visitors to see them climb on board, and we love devising new ways to provide food, scent and habitat enrichment that stimulates their natural foraging behaviours,” said Mr Babington.

Staff shared the pictures on social media, attracting almost 80,000 likes in under 24 hours.

“Oh, to be a bear floating in a swan boat in the rain,” said one commenter.

Another referenced Michael Rosen’s 1989 picture book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, writing: “We can’t go over it, we can’t go under it, we have to go through it!”

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Spotlighting theatre in london and the south east, swan lake | moscow city ballet| the hawth crawley |review.

Or – things I learned from the ballet.

I sound like a broken record when I say once again that although I write about productions I have seen I do not like to ‘review’ performances, I visit the theatre more than the average person and I know what I enjoy, but who am I to say what is good and what is bad? Can anyone? I firmly believe that theatre going is a personal experience.

Never was this more true than my trip to The Hawth Crawley last week to see the Moscow City Ballet performing Swan Lake . This was my first visit to a professional ballet. I came out totally bewildered and at a loss what to write. In short, I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. It was beautiful and a pleasure to watch. But was it good? As I know nothing of ballet I cannot say.

My companion for the evening however did know quite a bit about ballet and gave me a few pointers about the production. Now I could blag this write-up and talk about the dancer’s technique and what merited the rousing applause but I would be spouting her opinion not mine. The things I did learn from her after the show was entirely irrelevant to my own personal enjoyment of the performance.

So instead of a review (sorry Moscow City) I though I would write about:

10 things I learned from a night at the ballet.

There are two different versions of Swan Lake! There was a revival written by Marius Petipa but luckily for me we saw the original by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, I say ‘luckily’ because it meant I knew more of the music. I am positive that most Ballet lovers would consider it sacrilege that the piece I found most exciting was the Swan Lake Suite, recognisable to me as it is used in Billy Elliot – oops.

The story line is hard to decipher – I have to admit that I was extremely glad that I had read the synopsis before the show started. The dancing was simply breathtaking but I don’t think I would have followed the story otherwise. Then again I didn’t know about ballet sign language before (see next point) and maybe that would had made a difference. Next time, I would like to see a ballet of a story that I am more familiar with – Romeo and Juliet for example, to see whether I can follow the story any easier.

Of course we know that a ballet tells a story but I didn’t realise that different movements that the dancers make mean different things, a bit like a ballet-sign-language. For example if a dancer crosses her hands across her body in a low position it means death or if she touches her head twice it means princess, there are lots of ‘signs’, some are fairly self-explanatory and others quite clever, you can read more here .

There is an awful lot of dancing in a ballet – Even I could appreciate the difference between the ‘fun’ dances, the dramatic dances and the dances that tell part of the story. However I must admit (sorry) that at the start of the second act my attention wavered and I started to pay more attention to the costumes, wondering whether it was a real harp I could hear or a keyboard, or (and this is probably worse) thinking that it was shame there wasn’t a bit of tap or jazz thrown in to break the ballet up. My momentary lapse didn’t last for long though, and I did feel rather guilty afterwards.

The costumes were worth taking the time to admire though – they are absolutely gorgeous, I wasn’t quite sure which I like best. The netted long skirts (I am sure that they have a name) or the swan like tutus? Half way through the second act in Swan Lake, some of the dancers woo the prince and they wear the most beautiful array of costumes, depicting (I think) different countries. And how, do the white costumes stay so white particularly the men’s tights?…..ah the things that keep me guessing.

It is not just about the dancing – the music is something special. The Orchestra was something really special, it was a large orchestra and the sound they created was nothing short of spectacular, it sent shivers down my spine. I maybe need to jen up of different pieces of music.

To be a ballerina, you have to be very patient. The Corps de Ballet were on stage a lot of the time, but a lot of the time they were simply still, watching and waiting. However they were never off guard. They are poised, patient and ever graceful. Still and yet part of the ambience. I wonder what they think about.

Dancers have to be perfect. I watched an almost flawless performance for 2 hours, I say ‘almost’ because even to my untrained eye I was able to notice when a dancer’s arm wasn’t exactly in the same position as the other twenty or when they turned a fraction of a second later than the others. The Corps de Ballet moved as one and it was glaringly obviously when things were a little out.

Prima Ballerinas are top rate! My goodness, I know that the nearest I get to dancing nowadays is to Tainted Love after I have had a few, but I could not fail to notice how Natalia Romanova playing the Swan Queen was probably the most graceful thing I have seen. Playing a swan she did seem almost birdlike and graceful. She was – stick thin (the Mum in me says too thin) but she was strong and supple. I was completely in awe.

A ballet audience is an incredibly polite audience. Theatre audiences, particularly in the West End have become incredibly casual, people go to the theatre after work or as part of a day in London and at the end of the performance people leave almost before the curtain comes down to miss the rush and catch the quickest train home. I am being generalist I know. But it was extremely refreshing arrive at the theatre and people had made an effort to dress up. And applause? I have never heard so much, there was applause when the conductor came in, applause when the principals came in, applause and bows after every dance. Could you imagine if the cast of Les Miserablés all stopped, bowed and curtseyed after each song?

*********************************************

I learned a lot when I went to Swan Lake, but my education is just beginning. My experience at the ballet was a very different experience to what I was expecting. Quite often when I come out of the theatre I am on quite a high and am buzzing. Swan Lake gave me a completely different experience. I came out enthralled, relaxed and felt that I had experienced something stunningly graceful and breathtakingly beautiful.

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UN agencies fear about 70 missing or dead from capsized Rohingya refugee boat

Rohingya refugees rescued from a capsized boat rest at a temporary shelter in Meulaboh, Friday, March 22, 2024. Rescuers pulled out dozens of survivors who had been standing on the hull of the capsized boat on Thursday. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

A Rohingya refugee rescued from a capsized boat prays at a temporary shelter in Meulaboh, Friday, March 22, 2024. Rescuers pulled out dozens of survivors who had been standing on the hull of the capsized boat on Thursday. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Rohingya refugees rescued from a capsized boat queue up for a medical examination at a temporary shelter in Meulaboh, Friday, March 22, 2024. Rescuers pulled out dozens of survivors who had been standing on the hull of the capsized boat on Thursday. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Rohingya refugees stand on their capsized boat before being rescued in the waters off West Aceh, Indonesia, Thursday, March 21, 2024. The wooden boat carrying dozens of Rohingya Muslims capsized off Indonesia’s northernmost coast on Wednesday, according to local fishermen. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Rohingya refugees climb onto a National Search and Rescue Agency boat as they are being rescued after their boat capsized in the waters off West Aceh, Indonesia, Thursday, March 21, 2024. The wooden boat carrying dozens of Rohingya Muslims capsized off Indonesia’s northernmost coast on Wednesday, according to local fishermen. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

Rohingya refugees board a National Search and Rescue Agency ship after being rescued from their capsized boat in the waters off West Aceh, Indonesia, Thursday, March 21, 2024. A wooden boat carrying dozens of Rohingya Muslims capsized off Indonesia’s northernmost coast on Wednesday, according to local fishermen. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

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MEULABOH, Indonesia (AP) —

About 70 Muslim Rohingya refugees are feared missing or dead from a boat that made a grueling sea voyage from Bangladesh and sank off Indonesia’s coast this week with 75 survivors, U.N. agencies said.

A statement issued jointly by U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, or UNHCR, and the International Office for Migration, or IOM, said they were “extremely concerned about the scale of potential loss of life,” saying that accounts from survivors indicated about 150 people originally were aboard.

That likely would have included a crew of about five people, who apparently abandoned the vessel and whose whereabouts are unknown. Two survivors told The Associated Press on Friday that the captain and four crew abandoned the boat for another one when the refugee vessel started to sink.

Indonesian fishermen raised the alarm about the stricken vessel Wednesday when they started rescuing its passengers, and an Indonesian search and rescue ship on Thursday pulled remaining people from the capsized hull about 22 kilometers (14 miles) off the western coast of Indonesia’s Aceh province.

The U.N. joint statement did not specify the exact number of people believed lost, but a website maintained by UNHCR said 75 people were “reported dead or missing” from a boat whose details match the one that capsized Wednesday.

“If confirmed this would be the biggest loss of life so far this year,” said the statement, referring to a steady stream of boats carrying Rohingya seeking to escape crowded refugee camps in Bangladesh and Myanmar.

There has been a notable increase in Rohingya refugee arrivals in Indonesia over the past year. The 2,300 refugees who arrived in 2023 were more than the previous four years combined, the statement said.

The survivors from the boat are 44 men, 22 women and nine children. A few were taken to a local hospital for treatment but most were sent to a temporary shelter in the Aceh’s Barat district. Several told UNHCR workers they had lost family members on the journey.

“In one case, there was a child whose parents and siblings died during the trip,” Faisal Rahman, a UNHCR staff member in Aceh, said Friday. “There was another case, a husband whose wife and child died. Also, children whose mothers have died. So there were several families who said their relatives had disappeared or died at sea,”

Soliya Begum, a 18-year-old survivor, told The Associated Press the captain scuttled the boat and fled to another one with his crew when it started taking on water. Her account could not be immediately confirmed. Sometimes people purposely sink refugee boats to force rescuers from destination nations to take the passengers ashore, but usually such action is taken closer to land.

Another survivor, Akram Ullah, 30, told the AP that the boat had left Bangladesh on March 9 and that its captain and at least some of its crew were Indonesian. He also said the captain and four other crew members fled the boat as it was starting to sink.

About 1 million Rohingya from Myanmar are refugees in Bangladesh. They include about 740,000 who fled in 2017 to escape a brutal counterinsurgency campaign by Myanmar security forces, who were accused of committing mass rapes and killings and burning thousands of homes. The Rohingya minority in Myanmar faces widespread discrimination and most are denied citizenship.

With inadequate water, sanitation, and health care, life is hard in the refugee camps in Bangladesh. which are susceptible to fire, flood and outbreaks of disease. There are few opportunities for meaningful work and violent criminal gangs terrorize residents.

The aid agency Save the Childfren said the continuing sea voyages reflect the dire situation in the camps in Bangladesh. It said 250 unaccompanied children were among the Rohingya who arrived in Indonesia in the last three months of last year.

“The presence of unaccompanied children in Aceh is alarming and suggests that Rohingya families are desperate enough to send their children away in search of a better life,” the group’s temporary Indonesia director Dessy Kurwiany Ukar said.

The group said other countries in the region besides Indonesia should share the responsibility for taking in Rohingya refugees.

Tarigan reported from Jakarta. AP journalist Grant Peck contributed to this story from Bangkok.

Moscow City Ballet Presents Swan Lake Review

Being only my second ever Ballet and following on the foot steps of the enchanting and very emotional Manon, Swan Lake had an awful lot to live up too. That’s an odd thing to say about a world famous Ballet.

During my last ballet encounter I found myself falling head over heels in love with the ballet. With its ability to command such emotions through expertly choreographed dance, and an orchestra that could have you holding your breath with the drama of the score.

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Love at first sight is tricky kind of love, will it live up to its expectations the second time around. Would I still feel so enchanted by the beauty the ballet?

The Moscow City Ballets presentation of Swan Lake was spellbinding and the perfect Ballet to confirm that indeed Ballet is an art I aim to enjoy at every possible opportunity. And that it is never to later to discover love for a new art.

Swan Lake starts out at Prince Siegfried’s 21st birthday (Daniil Orlov) where he is told that coming of age is a serious affair and he must find a wife.  A Ball has been arranged for the very next evening and there, where a group of beautiful and carefully selected young ladies are invited as prospective fiancées, he must choose a bride.

Siegfried has no desire to marry, wanting to maintain his youth and freedom. His good friend Benno (Dzmitry Lazovik) in his endeavour to cheer him up points to a flock of wild swans in flight and suggests a hunting expedition.

During the hunt Siegfried is drawn to a captivating white swan who transforms into the most beautiful young woman. She is Odette, Queen of the Swans (Liliya Orekhova). The evil sorcerer Von Rothbart (Talgat Kozhabaev) had put her under a spell, where by day she and her friends must remain swans, but between midnight and dawn they return to their human form.

The spell dictates that only the pure love of a young man can remove the curse. Captivated by her beauty Siegfried instantly falls in love with Odette and feels confident his love will destroy the spell. However dawn arrives and Odette must return to the lake and return to her swan form. The lovers bid farewell with the hope that the spell with be broken. However Rothbart plots to make the Prince break his vow.

As soon as the Orchestra started to play Swan Lake had drawn me in. The enchanting score that was first penned by Tchaikovsky in 1871 and the Ballet first performed in 1877 draws you in to a world of breathtaking music telling the tale of heartbreak and despair, yet is portrayed in the most beautiful way.

It’s mind-blowing to think audiences were enjoying this very same ballet 142 years ago. That the beauty of the music and dance has stood the test of time, to allow us to be enchanted by the very same score all these years later.

The choreography and timing was perfect, when you are faced with in excess of 20 swans in costumes that are every little ballet loving girls dreams, and quite frankly some adults too! It’s apparent there is not an inch of room for error. Yet every step and graceful hand movement was perfectly delivered in a way that had you holding your breath in disbelief.

Swan Lake is the epitome of grace, elegance and perfection that’s draws you in and has you feeling as if you are the only person in the audience. The music has a mesmerising calming effect on your soul, which enables you to forget everything in the world apart from what is going on right there on that stage. I honestly never believed anything had the ability to demand my concentration to such a level. And I left the theatre despite the sad overtone of the story feeling calm and uplifted having experienced such beauty on every level.

The Moscow City Ballet is touring throughout January click here for the dates and if you are lucky enough to catch it, prepare to be utterly captivated.

Disclaimer, I was gifted the tickets for Swan Lake for review purposes, however all opinions are my own and I had no idea the profound effect this truly stunning work of art would have on me.

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